Provisional Electoral Council Explained

The Provisional Electoral Council (French: Conseil Électoral Provisoire, pronounced as /fr/, CEP; Haitian Creole: Konsèy Elektoral Pwovizwa) is the electoral commission of Haiti. The CEP is responsible for presidential elections and parliamentary elections, and is Haiti's main and only legal election agency.^[1]

It was dissolved in September 2021 by acting Prime Minister Ariel Henry.^[2] In September 2024, the Transitional Presidential Council reestablished the CEP in preparation for the next Haitian general election in 2026.^[3]

Mandate

As the sole legal electoral body in Haiti, CEP's responsibilities include the following:^[4]

• Ensuring confidence building among key actors involved in the electoral process;
• Establish the balance between the various political players in the race, hence the role of arbiter.
• Organize and supervise elections.
• Enforce the election legislation throughout the national territory.
• Ensure elections are held freely, credibly and transparently.
• Intervening in the mobilization and coordination of activities related to electoral information.
• Provide input in developing the legal framework for the electoral process.

Criticism

More than 30 presidential candidates reproached CEP for its obscure scrutiny policies and censured CEP for its lack of transparency.^[5] According to Haitian Sentinel, CEP rejected transparency request by some presidential candidates including Jude Célestin, runoff candidate for the 2015 election.^[6]

See also

• Elections in Haiti
• 2006 Haitian general election
• 2010–11 Haitian general election
• 2015–16 Haitian parliamentary election
• 2015 Haitian presidential election
• List of political parties in Haiti
• Politics of Haiti

Notes and References

1. Web site: Mission . fr . CEP Haiti . 3 December 2015.
2. News: Haiti polls postponed after electoral body is dissolved . 27 October 2021 . BBC News . 28 September 2021 . en-GB.
3. Web site: Coto . Dánica . Haiti creates a provisional electoral council to prepare for the first elections since 2016 . . 18 September 2024 . 26 September 2024.
4. Web site: Constitution . fr . Constitution . CEP Haiti . 3 December 2015.
5. News: Calls for transparency joined by 30 more presidential candidates . Haitian Sentinel . 1 December 2015 . 3 December 2015.
6. News: Maxime . Samuel . Electoral Council rejects transparency request . Haitian Sentinel . Miami . 17 November 2015 . 3 December 2015.